ANOTHER POLICEMAN succumbed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing the death toll in the police force to 19. The latest casualty was a 51-year-old personnel of the Police Security and Protection Group who died August 15 but his swab test result showing he was COVID-19 positive was only received by the police management on Oct. 7. The late police officer was among the 43 new cases recorded as of Thursday by the Philippine National Police (PNP). Eleven of the new patients are from Metro Manila, seven from Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), five from Caraga, two each from Central Luzon and Nothern Mindanao, and one each from Western Visayas, Soccsksargen (South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City) and Zamboanga Peninsula. The 13 other cases are from various administrative and operational units of the PNP. The PNP has so far recorded 6,270 COVID-19 cases, with 5,344 recoveries. — Emmanuel Tupas/PHILSTAR
